Why You Need a Side Hustle To Increase Your Success

When you are in your next job interview and your potential employer asks what you do outside of work, what do you say? Do you tell them about your side business? There is a common misconception that having a “passion project” or “side hustle” that makes you money outside of your full time job will make you less successful, and less focused, for your employer.

However, the opposite is true. By having a side business, you are showing ambition. You are building your network and personal portfolio. You are in a constant state of learning whereas many employees may not be, putting you at an advantage. Knowledge is power.

 

Even if it’s blogging to build your writing portfolio (contact us to contribute a post to Fempreneur.com). Not only will you make some extra cash, but you will become more successful in your career.

Here’s why:

You will build a personal brand. This one is at the very top of my list for a reason. You need to establish yourself as an expert outside of your employer. Your personal brand is a transferable asset no matter what job you’re in. Many public relations students come to me for advice on getting started in their careers and this is because I have established myself as an expert in the field. (If you work in PR, join us over at the Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations).

You are passionate about what you do and conscious of how you spend your time. As the title of this article suggests, having a “passion project” will make you happier with your accomplishments. When you feel you are moving forward in your career, even if it’s outside of your day job, you feel more confident in your abilities. Naturally, this confidence will translate into the workplace. You will also become better at juggling multiple projects and managing your time. No more wasting hours daydreaming, that time is now allocated for learning new skills and finding new clients. With only 24 hours in the day, you will now be carefully weighing if something is worth your time and energy.

You will expand your knowledge and skill set. If you are a freelance writer, you will be spending time researching new trends and reaching out to experts for quotes to include in your articles. You are learning something in the process and able to transfer these skills to your employer.

You will grow your professional network. By engaging in different types of activities, you will be reaching a broader audience and expanding your network. If you are looking for new clients, you can meet people online (I’m a big fan of Twitter!) and offline at industry networking events. For me personally, working as a public relations and communications professional during the day, blogging has allowed me to network (and be inspired) with business owners online globally.

You will have something to fall back on. With an unstable economy we are seeing more and more layoffs. But, if you have projects on the side, you will have a form of career insurance that keeps you relevant and continuing to earn money while you look for a new job (or decide to launch your business full time).

You have the ability to fail. By growing your business on the side, you have the luxury to fail and learn from your mistakes. In the process, you may also learn that your “passion project” isn’t something you particularly enjoy and have the luxury to try something completely new (while collecting a full time paycheck).

If you’re like most female entrepreneurs, chances are you’ve spent a fair number of hours contemplating what life will be like when you can finally…

  • Decide your own pay rate (instead of waiting for that oh-so generous 2% cost of living increase at the end of the year)
  • Set your own working hours and work from home (or maybe from a lounge chair by the pool)
  • Choose your own clients that you LOVE working with

So many promising female entrepreneurs are derailed by a lack of confidence and direction. It’s understandable, really.

After all, you struggle with…

  • Finding a profitable business idea and niche (that isn’t already done to death)
  • Scaling the steep learning curve of a host of necessary tools and software
  • Creating in-demand products, programs or services—and figuring out how to market them

Let us help you ensure your new business has wings, so you don’t have to worry it will sink like a stone and leave you with nothing to show for your efforts. Download your side hustle planner here

Do you currently have a side hustle? Tell us about it! We are always looking for inspirational women in business to feature on our blog and podcast. If you are ready to take the next step with your business, Pink Pearl PR is here to help.

We have a 48-hour side hustle planner to help you brainstorm your new business idea and take the next step towards your success as a female entrepreneur. The planner is 58 pages with detailed action steps that you can take to build your business in only 48 hours. Download your copy here


Talia Beckett Davis is the Founder of the Organization of American Women in Public Relations and the Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations. She has worked with some of the largest brands in North America at her PR agency Pink Pearl PR to help them get featured in high profile media outlets and grow their sales.

Join the Public Relations Academy to take your creative ideas and put them into a systematic plan to help you deliver the content you need to succeed. You can also work with Talia one-on-one through monthly strategy calls.

 

 
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